Deontay Wilder was one of the most feared knockout artists in the world in his prime, as one Olympic gold medalist found out to his own detriment.
Despite his recent trouble, which included Deontay Wilder losing twice to Tyson Fury, he was once an undefeated champion who feared nobody in the boxing ring.
Wilder was 27-0 going into his fight with Audley Harrison in 2013 and was well on his way to becoming a world heavyweight champion.
The fight against the Briton didn’t take long, and it proved disastrous for Wilder’s opponent that night.
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Deontay Wilder beat Audley Harrison with a first-round knockout
The future world heavyweight champion Wilder introduced himself to British boxing fans with one of his quickest KOs of his career.
Wilder made his UK debut when he took on Olympic Gold Medal winner Audley Harrison at the Motorpoint Arena in Sheffield on April 27, 2013.
The bout looked like one of his toughest yet, facing an experienced fighter in Harrison who had won his last three fights.
However, Harrison was on the decline, and these wins had covered up for what was a man clearly at the end of his career, which showed in this fight.
It didn’t take long for Wilder to start opening up on Harrison. A right hand in the first round hurt the Englishman, before Wilder unleashed a wild flurry of punches that forced him to retreat in the corner.
As more and more huge hits rained down on Harrison, the referee got between the pair as Harrison slumped to the ground.
He made his way to his feet, but the referee had seen enough. He waved off any protests from Harrison’s team and ended the fight after just 70 seconds of action.
Wilder won the fight by TKO after just 70 seconds. While it wasn’t Wilder’s favorite knockout, it was certainly one of the fastest of his career.
It was more than just a loss for Harrison, however.
Audley Harrison retired days after his 70-second loss to Deontay Wilder
The devastating knockout loss put an end to Harrison’s career, as he announced his retirement just days after the fight.
He made the decision to walk away from boxing at the age of 41, with his dreams of becoming a world heavyweight champion firmly dashed by the clubbing fists of Wilder.
| Record (W-L-D) | (T)KO |
| 31-7-0 | 23-4 |
Harrison ended his career after 38 fights, 31 of which saw him come out victorious. He had a good career and was unlucky to never taste World Heavyweight Championship gold.
While he announced his intention to unretire just three weeks later, the comeback fight never materialized due to the brain damage Harrison suffered in his career.